Disclaimer: Thundercats and all related character don't belong to me.

Note:

This story takes place in an Alternate Universe set immediately after the end of 'The Return' miniseries published by Wildstorm comics.

Embracing dark desires.

By

Dr Facer

Chapter 7

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Inside his royal chambers in Cat's Lair Lion-O, lord of the Thundercats, heir to the Kingdom of Thundera and last in a line of kings as old as his civilization, could not find the inner peace needed to sleep. His mind was awash in turmoil and tortured by guilt. Despite what his friends and teammates had told him, the young king could not stop thinking about everything which had happened since he first entered the Book of Omens… Mumm-Ra enslaving and murdering thousands of his people, the near destruction of his empire and his greatest regret: the corruption of the twins. He can't stop thinking about it and, no matter what the others said, Lion-O was convinced that everything, all of it, was his fault.

Weaker men might be destroyed by such a terrible burden, but not Lion-O. He has learned over the years that, as King, he has a responsibility to shoulder and he has taken it as best as he can, with honor and strength. It is his duty to make everything right again. No matter how difficult or how long it takes, he has to give his people hope and help them build their lives all over again, because he is a symbol. He is not only the leader of the Thundercats, he is their King.

Suddenly a roar echoing from the Eye of Thundera interrupted his grim thoughts. The mystic Sword of Omens was calling for him, warning him of danger. But what could it be? Mumm-ra should still be too weak to pose a serious threat and the mutants had been scattered! Was the evil wizard preparing some new deviltry? Intrigued and alarmed, Lion-O reached for his sword and held it at eye level, hoping against hope that whatever this was wouldn't be something which would hurt his people.

"Sword of Omens, grant me sight beyond sight!"

Heeding the command the sword's hilt shifted, growing semicircles at each side of the edge, granting the request of its master and showing him the emergency. All Lion-O saw at first was just WilyKit, pacing around in her room until an energy vortex abruptly appeared and then… nothing! Something, or someone, had blinded the eye!

The young King wasted no time, racing out of his chambers in a mad rush for WilyKit's room. He was convinced that Mumm-Ra was invading the Lair; after all, who else had the power to blind the Eye of Thundera? Never stopping, Lion-O didn't call the other Thundercats, he didn't have the time for that; but he hoped that if he had to fight, the cries of battle would bring his allies to his side.

Lion-O prayed he would be there in time to prevent WilyKit's escape and foil whatever other plan the demented mummy had in mind.

But what he found as he arrived at the room was not a battle-ready and enraged Mumm-Ra; he didn't even find the female twin. What greeted Lion-O as he stepped through WilyKit's door was Snarf, fatally wounded and convulsing in the middle of a pool of blood.

"Great Jaga, Snarf!" the young lord shouted, refusing to believe what he saw in front of him. "This is impossible! Not him, not Snarf!"

Lion-O started to breathe heavily, his eyes never leaving Snarf as he slowly knelt at the side of his greatest friend. He couldn't assimilate this; his mind was about to shut down in shock. Snarf was his most loyal companion, always willing to lend a hand, always ready to lighten the mood with a well placed joke, always there for everyone. But for Lion-O, the most important thing was that Snarf he had been his best and dearest friend, the member of the team he considered family before everyone else.

"You can't die on me, Snarf!" Lion-O pleaded as he carefully lifted his friend up. "You can't!"

"Lion-O?" Snarf mumbled weakly, struggling to focus his eyes on the person holding him. "Is that… you?"

"Don't talk, friend," the young lord ordered. "Save your strength. Tygra will take care of you, you'll see."

"Did you know that Snarfer was eaten… by Slithe?" Snarf continued with visible effort. "What will I say to my brother when I… see him?"

"Where are the others? Come here! This is an emergency!" Lion-O yelled while tears of despair started to roll down his face.

"Lion-O… when did you get here… do you want pancakes too? But there are no more pancakes I… dropped them?"

"Don't worry about anything, Snarf, just concentrate on saving your strength."

"I'm… I'm dying, right?" the little Thundercat managed to get out.

"No!" Lion-O argued as his panic rose. "You're not going to die!"

"Lion-O, there's something I have to… tell you," Snarf said with a vanishing voice. "I really do…"

"Snarf, wait until the others get here, we're going to help you, you'll be alright, you'll see!"

"No… I won't," Snarf disputed gently. "I am dying, I can feel it… and I can accept it because I-I've seen you again, I got you out of the book and we- we saved everyone…"

Lion-O swallowed and struggled to fight back the immense fear and desperation overwhelming him.

"I wanted to tell you that… that I am very proud of you," Snarf managed to get out, his foggy eyes somehow fixated on Lion-O's face, "I… love you Lion-O. You're the son I never… had."

"I care deeply for you as well, Snarf. But don't talk like that; you're not going to die! You hear me? You're going to stay with me!" the young lord cried, unable to keep the terror at bay anymore.

"I-I just wanted to give her pancakes…" Snarf said as his voice faded completely and his body went limp, his strained heart finally giving out.

"Snarf?" Lion-O asked with an almost hysterical scream as he noticed the change in his friend's body. "Snarf? Wake up, Snarf, I beg you, wake up!"

But Snarf didn't respond. He was gone, and Lion-O's scream of agony and regret as he realized this was heard in every room of Cat´s Lair.

In the Black Pyramid…

WilyKit walked slowly behind her brother. She had expected to feel at least a little worried at the implications of Snarf's death for her and her twin; but instead she felt calm and convinced that they had done the right thing. She also felt free! Free of all the idiotic rules the Thundercats followed, free of having them on her back, watching her every move. She also felt completely at home, just like her brother had before, and the feeling of belonging she experienced was so strong it made her wonder why she had ever left in the first place.

"I'm happy we're together once more," WilyKat confided. "I was afraid we could never talk or be near each other again."

"I felt the same. I'm really glad you were able to save me from them."

"It was nothing, Kit. I'm just relieved they didn't have time to do something like blast you into space."

"I am, too," she said and noticed something in her twin's expression. Slightly worried, she walked up to him and gently caressed his face, "Are you alright? You look… concerned about something."

"I'm fine, sister. It's just that I didn't think I would have to do that to Snarf," WilyKat explained, holding his sister's hand in his own and caressing her palm with his thumb.

"Do you regret it?"

"I don't regret it," the male twin answered quickly, his voice steady and calm, without a hint of remorse. "I was prepared to do anything to get you back."

"Then what's bothering you?" she asked insistently.

"The Thundercats, Lion-O in particular, will not be pleased by your escape and Snarf's death. I was thinking of how they'll retaliate for it."

WilyKit retrieved her hand and frowned, "Yes, Lion-O is not going to sit still for long after this. What should we do about it?"

"Lord Mumm-Ra has a plan to deal with the Thundercats for good," WilyKat said and he started walking again. "I don't know yet what it is, but he said he would tell me when everything was ready."

WilyKit stopped dead at that statement. She realized she had to speak with Mumm-Ra. Ever since that day in the forest when she had realized that the mummy cared for her and her twin, she had been wondering about his reasons for doing certain things, and she wanted to set that clear before anything else happened.

"WilyKat, I have to go talk to him."

The male twin looked at his sister and nodded, "I imagined you would, and so did the master. He said he would be in his throne room, in case you wanted to meet him later."

In silence WilyKit walked with her brother a few more steps until she stopped again. "I'll go see him now. Do you mind if I leave you here?"

"No, go and talk to Mumm-Ra," the male twin replied and watched with a smile as his sister entered a different corridor. He was overjoyed to have her back. It had been a long time since he felt this way and he had his master to thank for it. After all he had to do to gain the power he needed, this was the best reward he could possibly ask for. Still smiling the young apprentice made his way to his own chambers.

It didn't take long for WilyKit to cross the dark halls and passages which separated her from the throne room; once there she stood by the large, closed doors, not daring to open them and go inside, but very much wanting to. The girl felt torn, she still felt some of that burning desire within her and she knew only Mumm-Ra could quench it. She also wanted all to be like it was before Lion-O returned and she knew, too, that Mumm-Ra was the only one with the power to fix everything. But she also remembered how things had been for her shortly before the Thundercats rose to power again; it was for this reason that she hesitated to enter the large hall ahead.

"Welcome, my dear," Mumm-Ra's voice greeted her as the doors opened by themselves. "Come inside, I've been waiting for you."

Fighting off her uneasiness and taking a deep breath, the young woman steadied herself and entered the room. She found Mumm-Ra sitting in his throne, petting Ma-mutt and watching her intently as she approached.

"It is good to have you back with us," the mummy murmured, placing his undead dog on the ground and watching as it trotted away. "I had my doubts about you accepting your brother's help."

"I would never refuse my brother," she answered.

"Good. If our plan is to work, you two will have to work together."

"No. I won't do anything until you…"

"You won't?" the mage interrupted, his voice growing cold and dangerous, but still very much under control. "You won't until I do what?"

WilyKit shook a little; the power Mumm-Ra was radiating was enough to send shivers down her spine. "Until you… tell me why you treated me like that."

Mumm-Ra rose from his throne and stared at the girl with great curiosity. "I treated you how, my dear? Could you please elaborate?"

"Like one of those miserable slaves!" WilyKit snapped once she heard the wizard's playful tone of voice; she couldn't believe he was taking this so lightly. "Ever since Lion-O came out of that cursed book, you started mocking me with those cruel comments about my brother! You even hit me with lightning! And I-I didn't deserve that, master, I didn't! I did all you wanted, I-I even gave myself to you! I want to know why you did that to me!"

"You want to know the reason?" the ever-living one asked, slowly walking around the young woman. "I did it because I had to drive you away with a clear mind, my girl. I wanted you to leave my side believing that you made the best choice."

"Why?"

"It was the only way for you to truly try Lion-O's way," Mumm-Ra told her. "I trusted you would eventually realize that what we had before was better, but I wanted you to give them a fair chance before you realized how wrong the Thundercats' way is, my dear."

WilyKit stared at the mummy with a surprised look. Of all the things she had expected him to say, she never imagined that, and she didn't know what to make of the mummy's explanation. He made her suffer just to make sure she would want to leave him? That was insane! Back then, before she realized how messed up the planet would be in the hands of the Thundercats, she would have left him at the first chance! But… the young woman closed her eyes, the fact was, she and her brother could have tried to escape during missions, but they never did. They never even planned to leave Mumm-Ra's side until he forced them to.

"I didn't want to hurt you, my dear," the mummy assured with that deep alluring voice he always used when convincing the twins of something. "You have to understand that everything I did was for your own good. I had to make sure you had no doubt if you ever wanted to come back to me."

WilyKit, her eyes still closed, pondered what her ma… what her master said. The girl nervously bit at her knuckle. The more she thought about it, the more reasonable his arguments became. It didn't take long before all made sense in her eyes: Mumm-Ra knew Lion-O and the Thundercats would ruin everything, but he also knew she would always have doubts about him and, because of that he had forced her and her twin away. He had freed them to let them see firsthand what those useless Thundercats would do. And she never understood, not until now.

"You… you were right…" she whispered. "You did it for us… for me. You had to make sure we had no doubts about this… that I didn't have any doubts. That's why you let me go so easily when the Thundercats fought the mutants and I was… stupid enough to believe I should help them."

"You were not stupid, my dear." Mumm-Ra, now standing behind WilyKit, smiled sinisterly. The girl had said just what he hoped she would. "If you were, you wouldn't have punished those inferior slaves who insulted you."

She looked behind her and stared at the wizard. She had expected Mumm-Ra to know about what she did in the city, but didn't expect him to bring it up. Still, the wizard was right; she wasn't stupid, the fact that the Thundercats confused her for a while didn't stop her from realizing that Mumm-Ra was right, that he had been right all along.

"Tell me, how did it feel to punish them?" Mumm-Ra asked.

"Actually… it felt surprisingly good," she admitted, confident now that she had been right. She had felt good doing it; after all, she had just done what was her right as someone far superior to that garbage. "Yes… it felt very good, even though I had never done something like that before."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. It means that you're back on the right path," the mummy said and moved even closer. "Now, girl, tell me, why are you here?

"I'm here because I wanted to be with my brother, and…" she paused and took a deep breath. "Because I understand how wrong everything has become; and because I want everything to be the way it was when you ruled the planet."

The wizard placed his cold hand on WilyKit's shoulder and grinned as he noticed her shudder, "And it will be like that again. I swear."

"I know…" WilyKit sighed, feeling the cold hand on her shoulder brought back the burning need all over her skin and while she would have fought it before, she now welcomed it. Right then, Kit could finally admit to herself that she wanted, needed, to be with the one man who could satisfy that burning need: her lover, the pharaoh Amon-Ra. "Master, I want to… There's someone I want to see…"

"I shall grant you that request, my dear," the mummy whispered in her ear, greatly enjoying the way the girl once again fell prey to the charm of the Sun Glare spell and her own, unabated lust. "Go to your chambers and wait, Amon-Ra will meet you there soon."

WilyKit smiled a pleased, lust-filled smile and, fully expecting the wizard to keep his promise, made her way back to her room.

The next day, at dawn…

Lion-O and the other Thundercats were near a tall tree, not too far away from the sweet fruit plantations. They all stood around an open grave, at the bottom of which a little coffin lay. There was also a small, but well crafted tombstone already in place. After a few more minutes of silent contemplation the young king finally stepped forward and reached for a shovel. Lion-O's face grew even paler and his eyes were red, proof of the tears he had shed the previous night.

"This is a very sad day," Tygra announced, clearing his throat before continuing. "We gathered here to send a great friend to the other side. Snarf was an important member of our team and an excellent Thundercat. He never lost hope and he never quit. He truly was among the greatest of us all and he will be missed. May Jaga guide his soul to a better place."

In silence the young lord did what he had to do. He scooped up some dirt and tossed it into the grave. Lion-O's hands trembled as he did so and with a sorrow-filled frown he went to lean against the tree. The ruler's mind was no longer filled with rage and the desire for revenge. His friends had managed to make him see that acting on such feelings would only bring disaster. They had helped him realize that mourning did not involve letting your worst, most violent emotions take you over. Yes, Lion-O had understood this, but his world was still filled with sadness, and he knew it would be a long time before he could remember Snarf without grief.

"Snarf didn't deserve this," the king said, his back turned, not wanting to see Tygra and Panthro burying his best friend. "But he's gone now and… By my lineage, I swear that I won't rest until I make sure that all Snarf believed in, all he hoped for us to do here, is a reality!"

The ceremony lasted for a very short time after that. The Thundercats abandoned the grave one by one until Lion-O was the last mourner present.

Once alone Lion-O drew the Sword of Omens and pointed it at the tombstone. Focusing, he caused the tip of the blade to shoot out a thin beam, carving an epitaph on the stone. When he finished Lion-O finally left the grave behind him. What he wrote in the tombstone was this:

Here lies Snarf

Brave & Loyal beyond the call of duty,

He was a young King's best & dearest friend.

His friends will remember him always.

An hour later, in the city…

"We will use these vehicles," O-Celot stated. The large Thunderian had stayed behind, tending to some business in the city while the Thundercat nobles attended their private funeral. He had no attachment to the Snarf the king had found killed, but he could still feel their pain, and he had said his prayers for the rest of the Snarf as well.

"You think they'll hold?" Tygra asked, staring carefully at the two skycutters the former rebel had chartered. "Remember we're going all the way to the artic region."

"The mechanic said they were in good condition and I trust him."

"They seem well cared for," Panthro offered. "But I can take look at them if you want."

"If you say they appear to be in good shape, it'll be alright," the tiger replied. Then Tygra looked at Lion-O, who still appeared to be miles away, drowning in his own sadness. "Lion-O, do you want us to stay with you? We don't have to do this today."

"I promised Snarf's dreams and hopes would be a reality," the King said. "I'm sure he would want this, so please, Tygra, go and find Pummyra. If she's still alive, we have to help her."

"Fine, we'll do as you wish," Tygra agreed. "But remember that you don't have to carry this burden alone. We are here for you, all of us."

Lion-O managed a sad smile and nodded. "Thank you, Tygra."

The tiger nodded back and after giving a sign to O-Celot, they both departed, quickly fading from view thanks to the superior speed of the skycutters.

"Do you think they'll find her?" Panthro asked after a few minutes. He, Lion-O and Cheetara had been walking around the city in complete silence, and he felt they were urgently in need of a subject of conversation to keep Lion-O distracted.

"I don't know," Cheetara answered. "If WilyKit didn't lie to me, I think they may."

"I hope so," the young lord said. "We've already lost three Thundercats, we really need to get back at least one."

"Yes, you are right," Cheetara agreed.

"We also have to worry about where WilyKit is hiding," Lion-O continued. "Maybe we should go and look around the Onyx Pyramid, I have this feeling she will be there. In fact, I think we should go now."

"I'm sorry, Lion-O; but we can't do that, at least not now, while you're not ready for a possible fight against Mumm-Ra," Cheetara warned. "Give yourself time to grieve before you rush into something which could end badly."

"What are you saying, Cheetara?" Lion-O queried, stopping in the middle of the street. "We just beat Mumm-Ra, the mummy should still be weak from our last fight. We can take him out and, if WilyKit is indeed there, arrest her again."

"I agree with Cheetara," Panthro intervened. "You're not ready for that, Lion-O, not when you're still dealing with what happened."

"What else should we do then?" he asked both his companions, his voice sad and tired.

"How about protecting your people from harm, the few thousands who still live? They need a leader with a steady mind; you can't fail them like I did, Lion-O," Panthro told him. "You can't fail them."

"I know," Lion-O admitted with a somber tone of voice. "Would you mind if I ask you to leave me alone for a while? I have a lot to think about."

Panthro and Cheetara shared a concerned glance, but finally they agreed to do what their sovereign asked.

"Fine, we'll be around. Are you sure you will be okay by yourself?" Panthro asked.

"Just don't forget we're here for you," Cheetara reminded him.

I won't forget, and I will be okay," Lion-O replied. "I promise."

Saying no more the three Thundercats parted ways. Lion-O then wandered aimlessly through the slowly waking city, greeting with a friendly gesture any Thunderian he crossed paths with. Still the leader of the Thundercats couldn't keep the image of Snarf dying in his arms out of his mind. He understood his friends would never be able to comprehend what he felt. None of them, while close to Snarf, had known him for as long as Lion-O had and so none of them had as strong a link with Snarf. For Lion-O, the death of his most beloved friend was probably the worst thing he'd had to endure since the destruction of Thundera when he was a child. The impact of Jaga's passing, while still shocking, had been lessened by the fact that his mentor could visit him even after death, something the good old Snarf could never do.

"They will never understand," Lion-O whispered as he sat down on the steps of a still under repairs building. The construction was deserted right then, since it was still too early for any workers to be around and that made it a perfect place for him to sit and grieve alone.

Lion-O remembered all the moments he had spent with Snarf, playing in the forests of Third Earth or talking during their long walks exploring New Thundera. He remembered everything and now couldn't imagine life without his friend's company.

But that was not all that troubled him. Lion-O sighed and leaned forward, running his hands through his hair. He had a lot to worry about: the corruption of the twins and Mumm-Ra's survival, the reconstruction of the city and the welfare of his people… he also wondered if Tygra would find Pummyra or not. Lion-O could accept these problems, he had learned while living inside the Book of Omens about his responsibility as king. But the fact he could accept them and act accordingly didn't mean he was void of emotion. He could feel like the rest of his people, he could feel pain for the loss of a loved one just like them. The only difference was that he didn't have the luxury of time. He could mourn, he could worry, but he knew he could not allow himself much time for either.

And then there was the Code of Thundera he respected so much. Was it still useful in a world as upside down as this one? Mumm-Ra had destroyed everything, and now that he was busy picking up the pieces he often wondered if the people still believed in it after all they had gone through.

"Pardon my interruption, my King, but I wonder if you would like to eat something?" a voice asked, one Lion-O knew but couldn't place.

He looked up and the first thing he saw was a pink and purple fruit the likes of which Snarf had once tried to make him eat. A petite, feminine hand held the fruit and as he looked past it, he found a young woman dressed in a black leotard and white boots. She had shiny, auburn hair and white stripes adorning her skin. She stood in front of him with a concerned expression on her pretty face. Lion-O knew her then. Aliona, her father had been killed recently and he had promised her help finding the culprit. Something he had yet to do; fantastic, another thing to add to his list of worries.

"If you don't like this, I have other types of vegetables," she offered, showing him the bag she carried.

"No, this will be fine," Lion-O assured her. He took the fruit she still held out to him and managed to smile before taking a bite. "Thank you."

"I'm s-sorry to intrude on you like this. But you look troubled," she observed softly. "Are you feeling alright?"

Lion-O stared into her honey-colored eyes and found honest concern there. He wondered how it could be, he expected her to ask him about the investigation into her father's murder and instead she was offering him company.

"I-I understand if your highness doesn't want to tell me about his problems," she sighed. "But… you seem to be alone right now. Don't you want to… um… talk to someone?"

Again, Lion-O looked into her eyes and once again he found true concern about him. Still, he decided not to tell her much; she was not a Thundercat, and he didn't want gossips about him to spread in the city at a time like this.

"I just have a headache. I didn't sleep well last night," he whispered after a moment of hesitation, it wasn't really a lie, since his head did hurt a little. "I will be fine, it's nothing serious."

"I'm glad to hear that," she said. "Um… can I… well, just sit here?"

"Go ahead," he nodded.

The girl did so and sat silently at the left hand of the king. She was nervous, after all the things her late grandfather told her about the Thundercat nobles and the respect she should pay them, being this close to her King was enough to scare her of making a mistake while talking to him. In fact she was starting to regret having dared to approach him in the first place. But he had seemed so sad that she couldn't help it and now she was paying the price; the girl sighed, she knew she probably looked like a fool to him. "…Thank you."

"What are you doing in the city?" he ended up asking out of courtesy.

"My mother my sister and I came here to sell our crops…" she answered, glad that he was asking the questions, since answering the king was easier than hoping to say the right thing to him.

"You're not with them," he noted.

"I'm supposed to be looking for spare parts for one of the trucks we have but it's too early, and the store is not open yet."

"It must be interesting, the work in your farm."

"It is but… I-I don't really like to be a farmer," she answered. "I mean… well, it is what supports our family and working there kept us out of the mines, but now that we're free… I wish I could do other things."

"Like what?"

"I don't know… something different."

"I've learned that sometimes we don't have a choice but to do what we're supposed to do," Lion-O said, looking at the street in front of him and thinking about how Jaga and then Snarf always told him about his duties as king and how he had to fulfill them as his destiny.

"I guess you're right, your highness," Aliona said, and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Despite the obvious concern in his face and sadness in his eyes, Lion-O was indeed an imposing presence, and she wondered if he knew what he meant for all the people, how much they all needed him; he probably did know, but she couldn't keep from wondering.

"I have to thank you for something else," she said suddenly. "I want to thank you for coming back to us."

"Excuse me?" Lion-O was slightly surprised at hearing that. So far, even though he knew his people were grateful and had shown relief, joy and new hope now that he had returned, nobody other than his Thundercat companions had actually thanked him for it and he found it amusing that this girl from the Puma clan was the first to do so.

"I said thank you for coming back, my King. Maybe you have heard this already but you're very important for all of us. You give us something to believe in," she explained. "Now that you're here to lead us again it is like… I don't know how to put it but it's… like everything will be alright forever, because with you here the Code of Thundera means something again… and for that, I thank you."

Lion-O stared at the girl, and finally nodded with a smile, an honest smile this time. "That's good to hear. I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

After that they both sat in silence. A few minutes later Lion-O finished his fruit and got up. He had to admit that even if Aliona didn't really talk much, what little she did say distracted him from all that troubled him. He appreciated that, but he had things to do: reunite with Panthro and Cheetara and soon head to a communications center to call Tygra for news about his search.

"I have to go," he announced. "Thank you for the fruit and the company, Aliona. I'll see you again once we have good news about locating your father's killer. Trust me, we will have him."

The young woman nodded, whispered another 'thank you' and just watched him go in silence, not too long after he left, she too got to her feet and went to run the errand her mother had asked her to do.

A few hours later, in the Frozen North Peaks…

Tygra was grateful that he had decided to bring a coat with him, as the icy winds of the northern region were merciless. The Thundercat glanced to his right to see O-Celot, who was quite warm thanks to the padding in his armor, and who was searching desperately every one of the mountains they passed by. Tygra also did his part searching the mountains on his side, but he had no luck. Still, the highest peak was already in the horizon, and he had the feeling that they would find something, good or bad, up there.

"We'll arrive to our destination soon, O-Celot," the tiger called and maneuvered his skycutter so it was as close as possible to his companion. "I'm surprised these things haven't frozen yet. I'm glad your mechanic friend juiced them up to stand the cold."

"And you didn't think they could," the large Thunderian said with a proud tone. "Anyway, do you think we'll find something? I have not seen anything so far in any of the mountains; I'm starting to believe the girl lied about this."

Tygra didn't answer, but he also felt that, probably, WilyKit had lied to Cheetara. He hadn't told anyone, but the corruption of the twins hurt him even more than any physical wound could, and he knew Cheetara felt the same way. Why shouldn't they? They had both been friends with the twin's parents; they where there when the twins were born, and when Thundera exploded they swore to secretly look after them. And they had failed. The tiger sighed. It would be a long time before he could stop blaming himself for what had happened to WilyKit and WilyKat.

"Hey, let's find somewhere near the top to land," O-Celot called. They were almost in their destination and, if what they had been told was correct, Pummyra should be in a cave near the summit.

"Yeah, let's," Tygra agreed, pushing back his regret and focusing on the job at hand.

They found a large ledge which could hold their skycutters and in a matter of minutes both Thunderians were busy searching for a cave hidden somewhere in the icy peak.

"There's something over here!" Tygra called almost half an hour later. He had found a circular opening, almost entirely covered by a wall of ice.

"Do you think she's there?" O-Celot asked, trying to hide how excited he was.

"Maybe; there is only one way to find out." The Thundercat reached for his bolo whip and flicked his wrist, sending it crashing against the ice wall with a burst of flame. The incendiary tips of the whip quickly melted the obstacle.

"Impressive," O-Celot conceded. "It's much faster than my hammer."

"Let's go," Tygra invited, entering the cave and expecting his partner to follow him.

The cave was large, incredibly cold and apparently ran deep into the mountain. Fortunately, it didn't have any forks, which would ensure they didn't get lost. Finally, after a long time walking, they both saw something glowing faintly in the dark ahead.

"What is that?" Tygra wondered, lowering his lamp to better gaze at the strange glow.

"I recognize it. It's the same…" O-Celot muttered but never finished the sentence, since he launched into a sprint towards the dim light.

Whispering a curse, Tygra ran after the ex-rebel. Didn't O-Celot understand the dangers of running carelessly inside a cave, a frozen cave? They could slip and injure themselves, fall into an opening, or even end up face to face with a band of furious Ice Trogs, all things Tygra didn't need. When he reached the ex-rebel, he was going to tell him a thing or two about prudence.

But the Thundercat didn't have the chance to give his lecture. For what he found when he finally caught up to O-Celot froze the words in his mouth. Before them was a glowing crystal sphere, large enough to contain them both, and inside was Pummyra. The female Thunderian floated gently in the center of the sphere, apparently asleep and not in pain, despite the fact that her right arm still being twisted in the wrong way.

"We have to get her out of here," Tygra announced, searching in his belt for his communicator, intending to go back to the entrance and call the other Thundercats.

That night…

Pummyra lay sleeping in the medical room of Cat's Lair. Half an hour ago two doctors the Thundercats managed to find had finished treating the fracture in her arm. The power of the Sword of Omens had been enough to somehow pierce the sphere without hurting its captive, but not enough to wake her and so Pummyra still slept. She didn't wake up when the sphere was broken, or before her surgery or after. The doctors were convinced that she was in a very deep comma, and that her chances of ever coming out of it were slim.

"She's going to be alright," Lion-O offered. It was almost midnight, and he had come by to check on Pummyra for a second time, never expecting to find O-Celot still sitting by her bed; the former rebel had not left her side at all.

"I know she will," The forgemaster answered, never taking his eyes off her. "She's a strong woman, the strongest I've ever met."

"Yes, she is strong," Lion-O agreed looking at Pummyra with troubled eyes wondering when, if at all, would she wake up.

And in the Onyx Pyramid…

Mumm-Ra stood silently in front of his cauldron, watching with great interest the new developments in Cat's Lair. WilyKit had already told him about her conversation with Cheetara, and he had forgiven her for revealing the location of Pummyra. After all, it made no difference if another Thundercat joined Lion-O's side or not. By the time his new plan unfolded everything would be lost for the miserable cub with delusions of grandeur who thought himself king and he, Mumm-Ra, would rule over this planet again.

What intrigued him, though, was the fact that Lion-O and his friends had not attacked him today. He had fully expected them to and had prepared the defenses of the pyramid accordingly. It really was surprising, considering that Lion-O had not seemed passive during their last encounter but then again, he had previously used WilyKat to manipulate the little Lion-O into his trap, so perhaps it made sense that the little king preferred to take things slowly and carefully now.

Well, if they were not going to make the first move, then the wizard would. He had granted this day of rest to both his children, letting WilyKat have access to several manuscripts containing spells he had spent the day practicing, spells which would prepare his apprentice for what they would both soon do, and he had allowed WilyKit a day enjoying the luxuries she had been deprived of since she joined the Thundercats. Both of the twins slept peacefully now but tomorrow they would have much to accomplish.

With a wave of his hand, the wizard cleared the images in his cauldron's waters and glided back to his sarcophagus. He entered a deep death-like state as soon as the cover slid completely over him.

But while Mumm-Ra rested, the dark forces inhabiting the pyramid did not. The eyes of the three crumbled statues of the ancient spirits of evil who still lived started shining a deep red the moment they felt the wizard was asleep.

"Mumm-Ra must be punished for what he did to our brother and for what he has done to us!" The eyes of the first statue glittered as it send those thoughts to his siblings. "I tire of being under his boot, we must do something!"

"I agree, brother!" the second statue thought, its eyes sparking red as well, "But he absorbed all of our dead brother's power and with the void spell he has mastered… he could kill us all."

"But we must have retribution for all this humiliation!" the third statue countered with an angry flare of its eyes. "And I think I have an idea of how to deal with Mumm-Ra."

"Tell us then, brother," the other two statues urged.

"Mumm-Ra has grown careless. His feelings for both the twins have clouded his judgment," the third brother deduced. "He no longer keeps a permanent vigil on our actions; he is too distracted by what he feels for the children to remember we are a permanent threat to him."

"But the moment we do anything, he will use that cursed void spell to kill our sentience and absorb our power!" the first brother argued.

"True, true," agreed the second brother.

"You wish to have revenge on him as much as I do, don't you, brothers?" The third statue asked. "I don't mind sacrificing my existence as long as I know I have had retribution. What say you?"

"Yes!" the other two siblings answered. "We think the same!"

"Then hear me out, it will be the perfect punishment."

And so the three remaining spirits of evil plotted, confident that their once servant, now master, was not aware of what they were preparing for him. What the ancient spirits of evil didn't know was that Mumm-Ra could indeed hear them. Even during his healing slumber, the wizard could eavesdrop on their exchange and prepare a plan of his own.

Inside his sarcophagus, the mummy grinned evilly. Oh, the next day would be so much fun indeed!

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To be continued…

As usual, extra thanks to Adam for beta reading this chapter.